The winter has been extreme and provided many challenges for farmers whom raise livestock.
We asked a few farmers, whom are CommonGround: Kentucky volunteers, to respond to the following question: How are you caring for your animals to ensure their comfort?
This winter's weather has definitely made caring for our livestock a challenge, to say the least. Although cattle are less susceptible to the cold than humans, we still take every precaution to keep safe & comfortable. We unroll round bales every morning to keep from having large amounts of mud gather in one particular area. If there is snow on the ground, this gives the cattle a warmer place to lay. It also keeps them from all laying around one round bale and potentially smothering a calf. Our calving season has just begun, so we carefully check each herd at least three times a day. If a cow is close to calving & the weather conditions are getting worse, we'll get her into a barn where she'll have more shelter. We have also brought calves into our home and put them in our bathtub to try & get their body temperatures back up. Both were taken back to their mothers after they were warmed up and are doing fine now. Farmers care for their livestock, no matter the weather, and will do just about anything to assure their safety! - Amanda Gajdzik, Shelbyville
